Chapter 5

Rachel's POV

Rachel stared at her phone screen, her eyes fixed on Nate's Facebook page. She couldn't believe what she was seeing. Nate, the man she had once loved and left, was now married. And not just to anyone, but to Allyson, her rival at the office.

Rage and jealousy boiled within her as she scrolled through the wedding photos, her mind was racing with plans on how to disrupt their newfound happiness.

Rachel had dumped Nate in their first year of college for a wealthy suitor, thinking she had made the right choice. But soon enough, the guy dumped her for another hot girl.

Over the years, she had often wondered what might have been if she had just stayed in love with Nate.

But now seeing him happy with someone she detested it and it was more than she could bear. She picked up her phone and dialed Nate's number, her mind was set on a single goal: to destroy Allyson's marriage and reclaim what she believed was rightfully hers.

Nate's POV

After the unsettling call from Rachel, Nate tried to put on a happy face for Allyson and Kelvin. The evening had been perfect, but Rachel's unexpected call cast a shadow over his thoughts. He walked Kelvin to his car later that night and, confided in him.

"Kelvin, I need to tell you something," Nate began, his voice low.

"What's up?" Kelvin asked, sensing the seriousness in Nate's tone.

"That call earlier... it was from Rachel," Nate said, feeling a knot tighten in his stomach.

Kelvin's expression shifted from curiosity to disgust. "Rachel? As in your high school ex who dumped you for that rich jerk in college?"

"Yeah, that's the one," Nate confirmed. "She said she needed to talk to me about Allyson. She sounded urgent."

Kelvin shook his head, his eyes narrowing. "Nate, be careful. Rachel's trouble. She hurt you once, and there's no reason to trust her now."

"I know," Nate said, running a hand through his hair. "But what if it's something important? What if it's about Allyson?"

"Whatever it is, just be cautious," Kelvin advised. "Don't let her mess with your head again."

Nate nodded, appreciating Kelvin's concern. "Thanks, man. I'll keep that in mind."

Kelvin's POV

As Kelvin drove home, his mind was racing with thoughts about Rachel's sudden reappearance in Nate's life. He had seen firsthand how devastated Nate had been when Rachel left him, and he couldn't stand the idea of her causing him pain, ever again.

He couldn't shake the feeling that Rachel's intentions were far from noble. He had always trusted Nate's judgment, but this was different. Rachel was a wildcard, and her history with Nate made her unpredictable.

Kelvin resolved in his heart to keep a close eye on the situation. He didn't want to see his best friend's happiness shattered by a ghost from the past. He decided to call Nate in the morning to check in and make sure he was okay.

Rachel's POV

Rachel sat in her apartment, plotting her next move. She knew she had to act quickly to plant seeds of doubt and discord between Nate and Allyson.

She had always seen Allyson as a threat at work, someone who constantly outshone her. The fact that Allyson was now married to Nate only intensified her determination.

She pulled out her phone and began to draft a text message to Nate, careful to choose her words wisely. She needed to sound sincere and concerned, not vindictive. 

"Hey Nate, it's Rachel. I know our call earlier was unexpected, but there's something important you need to know about Allyson. Please meet me tomorrow at the coffee shop near your office. I promise, it's for your own good."

Satisfied with her message, she hit send and leaned back, a wicked smile spreading across her face. She was so sure that she could weave a story compelling enough to make Nate question his new wife, and then perhaps leave her.

Nate's POV

Nate received Rachel's text while lying in bed next to Allyson. He read it silently, feeling a mix of anxiety and skepticism. He didn't want to believe that Rachel could have anything meaningful to say about Allyson, but the urgency in her message was hard to ignore.

He turned to Allyson, who was already drifting off to sleep. He didn't want to burden her with his worries, especially not tonight. He placed his phone on the nightstand, deciding to deal with it in the morning. For now, all he wanted was to try and enjoy the peace of their new beginning, .

The next morning, Nate woke up early, his mind still troubled by Rachel's message. He kissed Allyson gently on the forehead before slipping out of bed. He needed to clear his head and figure out his next steps. As he stepped out onto the balcony, his phone buzzed again. It was another message from Rachel.

"Nate, I'm serious. You need to know the truth about Allyson. Don't ignore this. Meet me at the coffee shop at 10 AM."

Nate's heart pounded as he stared at the screen. He knew he had to make a decision: either to confront Rachel and risk stirring up old wounds, or ignore her and trust in the love his heart had found with Allyson. The clock was ticking, and the choice he made could change everything.

The tension mounted as Nate resolved to meet Rachel, unsure of what awaited him.